“Mr. Kelly has told Mr. Trump it is frustrating for staff members that the president deems most news media stories fake news but believes the ones accusing various advisers of leaking, according to people familiar with the discussions.” (NYT)     Whether you love or hate Donald Trump, that sentence, buried deep in an article, […]

I’m a bit conflicted about this past weekend’s fire on the 50th floor of Trump Tower in New York, especially after hearing that Trump lobbied against the requirement for sprinklers in residential high-rise buildings. Let’s be honest–any building code that doesn’t require sprinklers is job security for firefighters, the public be damned. Trump apparently said […]

Fatal Accident Data Missing On March 9, 2018, DC Fire and EMS Engine 26 was involved in a fatal accident at 12th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NE. Now, WJLA reports that the data card for the on-board camera is missing. They say, “Investigators are trying to determine when the camera stopped recording, and how […]

Ignorant in the Classic Sense The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) and its union, IAFF Local 2068, continue to be roiled by controversy, most recently from the twin shocks of the resignation of Battalion Chief Kathleen Stanley from her role as a Women’s Program Officer and from notice of the retirement of fire […]

“Non-Productive Garbage” So says Dave Barlow about Turnout;  he is a board member of International Association of Firefighters Local 2068, the Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics. I should say here that I am also a member of 42 years and a former president of the local, as well. Dave’s feelings are “personal”, he even says […]

A Tearful Goodbye An emotional Richard Bowers announced via telephone conference yesterday that he would be leaving the department in the near future. WTOP reports that, “On Feb. 1, Bowers said he had no plans to resign.” He chose the teleconference, though he was speaking to no more than 1/3 of the members, because he “wanted […]

All About Town, 2015-2017 Harold Schaitberger, the nearly 20-year president of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), may have precious little of substance to show for his tenure, but one thing is for sure, he knows his way around a steakhouse, or rather, houses. He leaves his office around 5:30, arrives at the restaurant near […]

Timing is Everything In an act of exquisite timing last week, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief Kathleen Stanley, the Women’s Program Officer there, tendered her resignation, replete with a scathing letter sent to Fire Chief Richard Bowers. By Friday afternoon Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Fairfax County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors, and […]

Valor, Patriotism, Honor “The latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests—no party’s, no President’s, only Putin’s” Sen. John McCain John McCain served his country including 5 years in a horrifying POW camp where he was repeatedly tortured. Robert Mueller served his country under fire as a combat Infantry Officer […]